Criminal Justice communication 4 - Essay Example

Criminal Justice communication 4 February 8, Conflicts are inevitable in a person’s life. It is a state of unsettled differences, within an individual, between two or more individuals, or even between organizations or groups (Thomas K, 1996). The key is how we respond to it. A conflict starter statement evidences the underlying conflict. Hence, it’s critical to respond to a conflict starter statement appropriately to avoid escalation of a conflict. Argue and disagree constructively. There is a diversity of ways to do so.

The first is denial, avoidance or withdrawal. A person should apply this when the timing or the issue is not critical. One should refuse to engage in unnecessary arguments or debates. This method avails time for cooling off so that both parties can approach the conflict with some sobriety. Secondly, another method would entail competition or assertiveness. This method is better applicable where a person knows that they are right or where it is needed to protect against people who take advantage of non-competitive behavior.

Thirdly, a person can be accommodative especially where they know they are wrong, and particularly where it is more pertinent to preserve a relationship than the issue at hand or where continued competition would be damaging to a person’s case. To add, a person could compromise or negotiate where both parties would be willing to cede ground, to arrive at a middle position acceptable to all. This will be applicable where a compromise would advance and serve the interests of each party well.

Lastly, parties could collaborate when there is effective communication and concerns are too valuable, for example, to compromise or when the problem is common and thus fundamental to merge insights.Communication is paramount to achieve the above strategies. One need to be objective as a failure of objectivity affects communication. Moreover, parties should start from the common ground, that they both agree and share, slowly delving into the conflict. Conflict avoidance is also a strategy to avoid escalation of a conflict.

In avoiding, there are no winners or losers. One simply withdraws sidesteps or postpones addressing the conflict. It is critical also when relationships are at stake, to provide time for cooling off or when one is faced with a more pressing issue and, therefore, has no time to deal with this particular one or where more information is needed. Nevertheless, this strategy has the drawback in that critical decisions could be made by default and moreover, postponing the dace may just make matters worse or aggravate them.

Works citedConflict Between Groups-sources-resolving Inter Group Conflicts. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.scribd.com/doc/44281469/Conflict-Between-Groups-sources-resolving-Int er-Group-Conflicts